Midnight Musing
by Pinetasticapple
Summary: When the night is calm and there's no danger nearby, it can lead a certain Hylian to think about his life choices. Drabble.


Guess who finished his essay and got an idea to write another small thing with these two?

Ta-da

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**Midnight Musing**

Link gazed at the clear night sky, the moon half full being the only source of light now that the fire was out, the embers dim enough to even illuminate his worn-out boots. The tablet in his belt said they were close to Lanaryu Mountain, which explained the dropping temperature, giving him plenty of reason to be snuggled up in his cloak while he gazed at the stars.

So much had happened since he woke up in that strange pool on the other side of the map. To realize he was a knight of over a hundred years ago, save a princess and the land from a terrible foe, to then be pulled into another reality with different people and creatures alike, only for now to be back in what was once his home, with a new resolution to explore every corner, every niche of it. Only this time, he wasn't travelling alone.

As if on cue, Link heard movement next to him, turning to see Ike rolling to his other side, the cape he used as a makeshift blanket sliding off his shoulder with the movement. Link pulled out a hand from his cloak cocoon to fix it, amused Ike didn't look affected by the cold weather.

Link couldn't help but smile as he turned his attention to the mercenary's sleeping face, devoid of frowns and furrowed brows. He looked calm, relaxed as he slept, sending a fluttery feeling directly to Link's stomach. It had been only a few weeks since they had started this journey, and yet Link appreciated each night when he could stare at Ike's sleeping face.

He remembered the first time he met him. It had been, at first, like his other encounters with the "smashers". He had been confused with another version of himself, apparently a past life or something like that. He wasn't going to go question it if he was over a hundred years old. This was the fifth time it happened, but for him, it was the first. He wasn't the only one like that, but of all the other smashers he seemed to be one of the few who came back as someone else, but also as himself. It was confusing altogether.

What surprised Link, however, wasn't that moment but the familiarity he felt around many of them, especially Ike. It was not the same feeling he had whenever he saw princess Zelda, it was more than that. With Zelda it was a mixture of devotion and admiration, the oath he had made to protect her –even if she didn't really need of said protection- but with Ike it was a comradery that grew and developed, that had been paused in time like how he had been in that resurrection pool, only for now to be a stronger feeling, an adoration he had seen in others and now was feeling it himself.

After the events of Galeem and Dharkon, the separation and the coldness of being somehow frozen and revived, after everything was alright, everyone was making their plans to return to their perspective homes. Most of them, Link had noted, was making plans of travelling together, even if they were from different places.

Link wanted to go back to Hyrule, itching to see more of the land he had just got to know fractions of in his quest to save it from the Calamity. He was surprised when it was Ike who approached him to ask if he could tag along. Link nodded with enthusiasm, realizing a part of him had wished for the mercenary to come with him before he asked.

Which led them both to be now in the Lanaryu region, sleeping from the long day. There weren't monsters anymore, all gone with the Calamity, so there wasn't need for Link to keep an eye out except but to admire the night sky and his companion.

He wanted to say they were something more. He felt they were something more of course, but for being the bearer of courage, Link couldn't find it in him to talk about it, at least not yet.

Above them, the dragon Naydra made its way out of the mountain to cross the night sky. Everything around him was peaceful. Link gave the sky one last glance and moved to lie down next to the mercenary, closing his eyes to sleep. He could think about his feelings another day.

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I don't have a beta reader since my free time to write fan fic is very sporadical, I rely a lot on Grammarly so I apologize if there are mistakes.

However, thank you so much for reading!

And yes, I keep adding words with each, this is how I warm up.


End file.
